Paul:
I must concur with you. The Ewing Salome on DVD is a real shocker ---- scary as hell, and I love watching it. I also love that Macbeth with Barstow and Poskalis (which I also have on DVD). Two outstanding performances that really pack a wallop. Wouldn't want to be without either of them.
I saw Grace Bumbry do a fabulous Salome in Chicago. She had no problems with the role vocally, and those top notes just oozed out like lava. Her interpretation was very unique (she sat on the stage and played with the head as though it were a child's doll!).
I must take issue with you on Caballe', however. I've seen two videos of Salome with Caballe' and while I acknowledge her physically inappropriate appearance in the role, nevertheless somehow managed to make it work for me. She was costumed as tastefully as possible, and in one production actually did the Dance (which was close to minimal), but she sang the hell out of the role and she really sang the music beautifully, interpolating some soft notes that were like peaches and cream. Perverse as my taste may be, I actually found it to be one of her most convincing assumptions. I also very much like her RCA commercial recording from 1969. I've always been rather critical of Caballe, but there's something about her voice that to me takes on a sense of drama that I find absent in her Italian and French singing. I must be the only one here that feels like that, but there it is.
> On January 31, 2018 at 4:09 PM Paul Ferraro <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>
>
> I just knew that if I waited long enough I would find another fan of Ms.
> Ewing's Salome. I, too, attended several of her performances with the
> then Washington Opera (must have been nearly 30+ years ago).
>
> Admittedly, I never met a Salome I didn't love (with the notable
> exceptions of Karita Mattila, who was simply ludicrous, appearing like a
> washed-up old hooker & Montserrat Caballe, of whom I have too much
> respect & love to chance seeing her making a fool of herself). But, I
> digress - I was a young pre-teen when I went to the Met to see Inge
> Borkh as the long time standard-setter for this wild role.
> Subsequently, either in person, or on video I've seen Nilsson, Rysanek,
> Phyllis Curtin, Nina Stemme, Teresa Stratas, Catherine Malfitano, &
> finally Maria Ewing. Each of these ladies made their unique impressive
> contributions, either vocally or creating/acting the character. You can
> just imagine Rysanek & Nilsson "peeling the paint & raising the roof",
> for example.
>
> Maria Ewing represented the perfect characterization of the role & the
> fact that Kennedy Center's opera house is not the barn-sized Met,
> presented no problem for her vocal resources. Other than the obvious
> sexy provocations, she was perfection as the obsessed, crazed lascivious
> teen, especially when she kept demanding Jokanaan's head. The
> insistence & repetitions were almost frightening - as though she would
> spring on Herod & attempt to rip him apart with her claws....I am not
> beginning to adequately explain what she created, but I think a video is
> available.
>
> One other soprano I'd give anything to have seen in this role is
> Josephine Barstow, who is my absolute fav Lady Macbeth on the video with
> Kostas Paskalis.
>
> Heads, ummm, hats off to Ms. Ewing!
>
> Paolo
>
> On 1/31/2018 12:54 PM, G. Paul Padillo wrote:
> > Maria Ewing is alive and well and living in . . . London, I believe. She's
> > slowed down (pushing 70) but for twenty or so years post Met, was quite a
> > lady of the cabaret scene and, while I’m certain many here would poo-poo her, she developed a following, and the same savvy instincts that served her well onstage, did the same in jazz and night club gigs.
> >
> > (Sidenote: Ewing
> > her, she developed a following, and the same savvy instincts that served he
> > her well onstage, did the same in jazz and night club gigs.
> >
> > (Sidenote: Ewing’s daughter Rebecca Hall, from her marriage with Sir
> > Peter Hall, has grown into a world class beauty as well as an award winning
> > actress of distinction starring in myriad roles on television, in film, but is
> > mostly known for her stage work throughout England, the U.S. and
> > throughout Europe. Until his death, she starred in a number of plays
> > directed by her father – the last being “Twelfth Night” where she was Viola.)
> >
> > I’ve always been a fan of Ms. Ewing’s and saw her Salome a number of
> > times, including most of the performances in Washington mentioned by
> > Ghozel. I recall one performance – I was in Standing Room – where
> > immediately after the dance, two old biddies noisily pronounced, “well I
> > never in all my days . . . “ etc., as they noisily clutched their purses and
> > stepped over people to get out to the aisle for an early departure. There
> > was a lot of “sussshhing” and more than a few snickers. I felt bad for the ca
> > cast, particularly Miss Ewing, but something tells me she enjoyed herself.
> >
> > During that run a very young, gay friend of mine (in his early 20s) met
> > Miss Ewing who invited him to dinner. Afterwards, she asked him back to
> > her hotel. He explained he was gay, and she essentially said, “Oh, I know,
> > honey, I’m just a sad, lonely lady on the road who’s missing her family
> > something awful.” The stayed up most of the night.
> >
> > Here, for those who care for such things, is a handful of Ms. Ewing in her chanteuse mode,
> > chanteuse mode, both live and in the studio. I love her still.
> >
> > It Never Was You
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6fLbSncva4Q
> >
> > Spring is Here
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AYCeXGOhUPA
> >
> > The Man That Got Away
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=acFVt9vkZGw
> >
> > Lover:
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyFk6jRNu0c
> >
> > From her 2nd album (live) Latin American Medley:
> > https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c-6OfRjpZdo
> >
> > p.
> >
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